Viewing 2012 Films

17 Girls  (17 filles)
FRANCE | Directed by Delphine Coulin, Muriel Coulin | Running time: 90 minutes

Inspired by a true story that was originally set in Massachusetts in 2008, 17 GIRLS details the shocking events that take place at an all-girls’ school in Lorient, France, where 17 adolescent girls get pregnant over the course of one school year. A controversial narrative that takes teenage rebellion to a new level, the film follows... Inspired by a true story that was originally set in Massachusetts in 2008, 17 GIRLS details the shocking events that take place at an all-girls’ school in Lorient, France, where 17 adolescent girls get pregnant over the course of one school year. A controversial narrative that takes teenage rebellion to a new level, the film follows Camille, a sixteen-year-old beauty who convinces her four closest friends to get pregnant with her after she learns about her own unplanned pregnancy. Being the most popular girls in school, gossip and trends spread fast, resulting in a near epidemic of unprotected sex. At times you may find yourself sucked into the persuasive argument of these determined young women, admiring their loyalty to one another and defiance against authority. As Camille wistfully states, “Nobody can stop a girl who dreams.” Yet, something about this captivating story remains inherently perverse, and the threat their naivety possesses lingers right up to the unsettling conclusion. (In French with subtitles) – M.M.

20th Century Man
USA | Directed by Dustin Lee | Running time: 14 minutes
A brilliant young scientist invents a time machine in the year 1938. When he decides to test it on himself, he is accidentally transported 76 years into the future. A brilliant young scientist invents a time machine in the year 1938. When he decides to test it on himself, he is accidentally transported 76 years into the future.

This film is part of Ohio Shorts Program #2

The 54  (De 54)
Netherlands | Directed by Philip Hering | Running time: 14 minutes
In the push and squeeze of the metro, a disturbing scene unfolds under Eve's eyes: a man seems to be taking a girl somewhere against her will. Should she interfere? In the push and squeeze of the metro, a disturbing scene unfolds under Eve's eyes: a man seems to be taking a girl somewhere against her will. Should she interfere?

This film is part of Independent Shorts Program #2

A Lot Like You
USA, TANZANIA | Directed by Eliaichi Sadikiel Kimaro | Running time: 80 minutes

With a father from Tanzania and a mother from South Korea, Eliachi Sadikiel Kimaro is a first-generation African-Asian-American, struggling with her own sense of identity. Ultimately, she realizes the importance of getting in touch with her African roots, and consequently decides to travel back to Tanzania to document her journey... With a father from Tanzania and a mother from South Korea, Eliachi Sadikiel Kimaro is a first-generation African-Asian-American, struggling with her own sense of identity. Ultimately, she realizes the importance of getting in touch with her African roots, and consequently decides to travel back to Tanzania to document her journey through A LOT LIKE YOU. But upon arrival she discovers that here she is more of an outsider than she ever was in America, with nothing but her name connecting her to this foreign world. That is until she almost accidentally bears witness to the stories of the women of her family—stories of trauma and survival they’d never even shared with each other. Trapped in a traditionally male-dominated society, her aunts open up about their pasts of rape and female circumcision. Through their revelations Eliaichi, a victim herself, is able to turn these shared experiences of abuse into a way to interpret her own identity as a woman. And along the way she and finds out she may be a lot more like these women than she ever realized. (In English, KiSwahili, and KiChaga with subtitles) – M.M.

Abiogenesis
New Zealand | Directed by Richard Mans | Running time: 5 minutes
In this breathtaking science fiction spectacle, a strange mechanical device lands on a desolate world and uses the planet to undergo a startling transformation, that has profound implications for an entire galaxy. In this breathtaking science fiction spectacle, a strange mechanical device lands on a desolate world and uses the planet to undergo a startling transformation, that has profound implications for an entire galaxy.

This film is part of Independent Shorts Program #3

Admissions
USA | Directed by Harry Kakatsakis | Running time: 21 minutes
Admissions is a short film starring Academy Award nominee James Cromwell that tells a transformational tale about what it takes to find lasting peace, even in war-torn places like the Middle East. Featuring an Israeli couple and a Palestinian man, this modern parable is set in the Admissions Room for the afterlife. Its purpose is... Admissions is a short film starring Academy Award nominee James Cromwell that tells a transformational tale about what it takes to find lasting peace, even in war-torn places like the Middle East. Featuring an Israeli couple and a Palestinian man, this modern parable is set in the Admissions Room for the afterlife. Its purpose is to start a conversation that heals.

This film is part of Independent Shorts Program #3 and Hollywood Shorts Program

All Alone
USA | Directed by Jon Cellini | Running time: 86 minutes

Two couples living in the suffocating concrete jungle of Los Angeles decide to take a camping trip together to explore the wilderness and attempt to regain composure in the solace of nature. As they soon find out, however, their troubles follow them from city to countryside. After meeting a woman in the woods who proclaims to be... Two couples living in the suffocating concrete jungle of Los Angeles decide to take a camping trip together to explore the wilderness and attempt to regain composure in the solace of nature. As they soon find out, however, their troubles follow them from city to countryside. After meeting a woman in the woods who proclaims to be a reclusive environmentalist, the façade and masks each couple wears in the city begin to reveal the true evil nature of their intent. Mother Nature is the backdrop to the lies and betrayal that come to a horrifying head in this thriller written and directed by Jon Cellini. ALL ALONE isn't just a suspense film portraying the disguises we wear in survival of mundane lives; it's also a film revealing the great lengths people will go to in order to survive when taken out of the captivity of isolation. While most thrillers and horror films feature villains in masks, ALL ALONE flips the script and explores the true enemies hiding within. Do your friends really know who you are? – T.W.

Alps  (Alpeis)
GREECE | Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos | Running time: 93 minutes

ALPS is a bizarre film about a group of people who pretend to be recently departed loved ones, ostensibly to help those who have suffered loss work through their grief. A “club” of four meets in a gym to plan their interactions with bereaved families. They engage in a kind of rote play-acting where they take on the persona of the... ALPS is a bizarre film about a group of people who pretend to be recently departed loved ones, ostensibly to help those who have suffered loss work through their grief. A “club” of four meets in a gym to plan their interactions with bereaved families. They engage in a kind of rote play-acting where they take on the persona of the dead person and reenact moments with that person’s family. One club member is a hospital nurse in real life—an empathetic, sad-eyed woman who tries to help several people, including an older man who misses his dead daughter and likes ballroom dancing; a lamp salesman with whom she speaks English since his departed lover was Canadian; and a blind woman, for whom she plays the part of a former friend. But when a teenage patient in the nurse’s hospital dies, she insinuates herself into the girl’s family a bit too insistently. ALPS explores our dependency on the familiar and our need for illusion in times of grief. It also questions the cruelties people tolerate in order to belong. (In Greek with subtitles) – B.B.

Ámár  (Ámár)
Spain | Directed by Isabel Herguera | Running time: 8 minutes
A sad fight between love, friendship, madness and oblivion. A sad fight between love, friendship, madness and oblivion.

This film is part of Independent Shorts Program #11

An American Contradiction
USA | Directed by Vanessa Yuille | Running time: 13 minutes
Seeking knowledge about her country and heritage, filmmaker Vanessa Yuille journeys to her mother's birthplace, Heart Mountain, Wyoming, where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during WWII. Internees reflect upon the experience of leaving their homes as children and the wartime hysteria that stripped them of their lawful rights.... Seeking knowledge about her country and heritage, filmmaker Vanessa Yuille journeys to her mother's birthplace, Heart Mountain, Wyoming, where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during WWII. Internees reflect upon the experience of leaving their homes as children and the wartime hysteria that stripped them of their lawful rights. This dark chapter of American history not only contrasts with the natural beauty of the landscape but also calls into question the definition of what it means to be an American. Through her investigation, Vanessa challenges us to correctly define the true nature of what happened there.

This film is part of Independent Shorts Program #2

An American Mosque
USA | Directed by David Washburn | Running time: 19 minutes
An American Mosque is an intimate portrait of American Muslim farmers and their effort to build a house of worship in California. For the first time, the film tells of the unprecedented crime that destroyed their mosque. Despite the tragedy, the farmers are unrelenting in their dream for a religious sanctuary. This ultimately hopeful... An American Mosque is an intimate portrait of American Muslim farmers and their effort to build a house of worship in California. For the first time, the film tells of the unprecedented crime that destroyed their mosque. Despite the tragedy, the farmers are unrelenting in their dream for a religious sanctuary. This ultimately hopeful film is a cautionary tale showing the consequences of intolerance.

This film is part of Independent Shorts Program #7

Amnesty  (Amnistia)
ALBANIA | Directed by Bujar Alimani | Running time: 83 minutes

AMNESTY provides a grim look at the lives of Albanians struggling to find a modicum of happiness in an otherwise drab existence. In its effort to bring its justice system to the level of other European nations, Albania has decided to give prisoners conjugal visits. Attractive but subdued Elsa, the mother of two boys, dutifully travels... AMNESTY provides a grim look at the lives of Albanians struggling to find a modicum of happiness in an otherwise drab existence. In its effort to bring its justice system to the level of other European nations, Albania has decided to give prisoners conjugal visits. Attractive but subdued Elsa, the mother of two boys, dutifully travels by bus on the fifth of each month to engage in intercourse with her jailed husband. Life is hard for Elsa; Albania hasn’t come far since the collapse of the Iron Curtain. She has just lost her job, and she has her dour patriarchal father-in-law to support. Meanwhile, Spetim, a middle-aged man, has also been assigned the fifth of the month to visit his incarcerated wife. Elsa and Spetim meet when they’re called as witnesses for a prison wedding. The two form a bond out of a mutual need for human warmth. Suddenly, an AMNESTY is announced for the prisoners, jeopardizing Elsa and Spetim’s temporarily happy world. (In Albanian with subtitles) – B.B.

Amy Casey
USA | Directed by Ted Sikora | Running time: 6 minutes
Amy Casey's acclaimed paintings show houses in impossible situations - some suspended in the air other piled on top of each other. This documentary shows her physical and mental process in creating these surreal landscapes. Amy Casey's acclaimed paintings show houses in impossible situations - some suspended in the air other piled on top of each other. This documentary shows her physical and mental process in creating these surreal landscapes.

This film is part of Ohio Shorts Program #2

The Amy Character
USA | Directed by Andrew Simkiss | Running time: 9 minutes
Blake, an aspiring writer, looks to his girlfriend Anne for a critique of his latest work, but things don't go quite the way he had expected. Blake, an aspiring writer, looks to his girlfriend Anne for a critique of his latest work, but things don't go quite the way he had expected.

This film is part of Independent Shorts Program #8

Andrew Bird: Fever Year
USA | Directed by Xan Aranda | Running time: 80 minutes

A concert documentary as poetic and lingering as his lyrics, ANDREW BIRD: FEVER YEAR follows the ferocious touring schedule of the acclaimed and intensely talented musician Andrew Bird. Devoted to his music, almost to the point of possession, he remains an unclassifiable artist, reinventing the more traditional genres of folk, bluegrass,... A concert documentary as poetic and lingering as his lyrics, ANDREW BIRD: FEVER YEAR follows the ferocious touring schedule of the acclaimed and intensely talented musician Andrew Bird. Devoted to his music, almost to the point of possession, he remains an unclassifiable artist, reinventing the more traditional genres of folk, bluegrass, and indie-rock. Although the film takes us with him on his 165-stop tour, culminating in a perpetual fever and landing him on stage in crutches, its real message is about the artist’s process of performance, of truly harmonizing with his on-stage environment. Watch as he plays to packed music halls as a disheveled, whistling, sparkle-shoed eclectic genius, entrancing his audiences with his precarious multi-instrumental looping technique. An exclusive look at the private mind of Andrew Bird, this film not only successfully captures a seemingly enigmatic creature, but also offers the extraordinary gifts of his collaborations with fellow artists Martin Dosh and Annie Clark of St. Vincent. – M.M.

Angie
USA | Directed by Justin Mitchell | Running time: 9 minutes
When Mallory discovers that her husband has taken a mistress, she takes matters into her own hands. When Mallory discovers that her husband has taken a mistress, she takes matters into her own hands.

This film is part of Late Night Shorts Program #1

Another Bullet Dodged
USA | Directed by Landon Zakheim | Running time: 13 minutes
A wolf in sheep's clothing who thinks he's a sheep. A wolf in sheep's clothing who thinks he's a sheep.

This film is part of Late Night Shorts Program #4

Anything For You
USA | Directed by Laura Belsey | Running time: 10 minutes
A lunch between two women veers unexpectedly off the menu, as Lynette reveals a secret that forces her best friend Gail to drop a bombshell of her own. A lunch between two women veers unexpectedly off the menu, as Lynette reveals a secret that forces her best friend Gail to drop a bombshell of her own.

This film is part of Independent Shorts Program #1 and 10% Shorts Program #1

Apartment in Athens  (Appartamento ad Atene)
ITALY | Directed by Ruggero Dipaola | Running time: 95 minutes

Set in 1942 Athens, a war ravaged Greek family is forced to host a high ranking Nazi officer. Their home, already weakened by the death of their eldest son and the ever-present pangs of hunger in wartime, is thrown into upheaval as they endeavor to satisfy the exacting demands of their unwelcome border. The well-educated and dignified... Set in 1942 Athens, a war ravaged Greek family is forced to host a high ranking Nazi officer. Their home, already weakened by the death of their eldest son and the ever-present pangs of hunger in wartime, is thrown into upheaval as they endeavor to satisfy the exacting demands of their unwelcome border. The well-educated and dignified father (Gerasimos Skiadaresis) is forced to complete more and more humiliating tasks until his very humanity seems to be slipping away, as his defiant son and wife watch helplessly within the confines of their small apartment. The officer's cruelty escalates while their adolescent daughter, intoxicated by the power of a man in uniform, treads a fine line between dutiful service and worshipful servitude. With nuanced performances and precise pacing, the subtle APARTMENT IN ATHENS portrays the rarely explored details of life under occupation, and we are left questioning the strength of our own morality under such tragic circumstances. (In Greek and German with subtitles) – S.H.

The Approach
USA | Directed by Joshua Fry | Running time: 9 minutes
Mixing live action and CG animation, The Approach juxtaposes elements of past experiences with the weather, the Ohio landscape, and the sea, creating an emotional and personal response to these forces and exploring their sublime qualities. Mixing live action and CG animation, The Approach juxtaposes elements of past experiences with the weather, the Ohio landscape, and the sea, creating an emotional and personal response to these forces and exploring their sublime qualities.

This film is part of Ohio Shorts Program #2